Olaf

Every time I've had the misfortune to deal with UPS, they've got it wrong. First thing to note, is they can charge pretty much whatever they like - within reason - for their Fees and Charges, for brokerage. This is not accounted for in the 'what's my duty' calculator. So the point to concentrate on is what figures have they used to calculate your taxes and fees. I've had to school them on their maths every time. Given they're collecting taxes on behalf of our govt, you'd think they'd want to get this right. Be patient with them, you'll get the right outcome in the end. It may cost you a couple of days, though. Contrast this with FedEx, who will contact you before the package has left the USA, provide you with emailed invoice, and advise that if you pay before x date, the package will be delivered without delay. They get their calculations right, and their charges are reasonable and consistent. All my UPS dealings have come from a UPS.com email address. UPS NZ are on 0800 742 587.‬

Wow, how cheap is that!? Even 245/40/18 (97Y) for my 545i is just $238.99 plus fitting, per corner.

Many thanks, Rob. Have you a project page for your SE?

Can you get a Z4 with N46? ? I thought they were 6cyl only.

Ouch. Are your drains clear and running? I've read that blocked drains flood and kill vert top mechs in Z4 and 6ers.

I'll be watching The Grand Tour S3E1 tonight! Got 4K FireTV, she's a beauty.

Okay. Time for more update. Date: 17 Jan 2019 Distance: 258648km 1. Lock. The lock drove me bananas. Barrel was fine, I found getting the springs right was troublesome. Suggest you photograph every damned angle you know you'll never need, before disassembly. I had it apart 4 times and still couldn't get it right. Had to hand it over to Jon with an apology. He sorted it out, aparrently I had spring in the the wrong place; it's all sorted now and I have full central locking restored, including deadlock. Woohoo! 2. Rear End. Rear subframe mounts replaced (Meyle) Rear trailing arm bushes replaced (Lemforder) Differential Bush replaced, along with diff cover gasket and fresh oil My freshly-repainted 13.5mm rear antiroll bar installed with Lemforder drop links, BMW bushes, new brackets, bolts, hardware. Brakes bled, handbrake adjusted. It's now AWESOME. My new 13.5mm ARB bushes will be returned, they're measuring 12.5-12.75 internal diameter! Jon at Auto38 has done beaut work. If you're in Wellington - or away from Wellington and want quality work, you know where to go! Test drive: It took just one T-intersection and a couple of curves to reveal the improvements. The bushings and bar have really tidied up the rear end up, consistent tracking; but most of all the drive out of the corners! Though that drive provokes INSTANT UNDERSTEER™. This makes getting that 20mm front bar and the HD endlinks installed (along with new bushings), a priority. I’ve never been a fan of understeer. I took my neice for a manual gearbox driving lesson yesterday, while she was visiting. She got her licence with just two pedals. It went well, no burning clutch, no frayed nerves. She even managed her first ever manual takeoff without stalling. Next steps (February): Front ARB - 20mm, endlinks & bushings Gear Shift bushings and short-shift Power Steering Fluid flush Clutch Fluid flush Need 51mm Front Strut Housings, and make a decision on springs. Also look into new steering coupling. I'm ordering more of the cooling system hoses too. I'm very pleased with progress on Grey Thunder. Becoming very drivable, and soon will be great fun.

Saw it yesterday, looks tidy in the flesh. Bag yourself a bargain!

Plus, as you’ve “just bought it” you have statutory rights as to “goods of merchantable quality”. if it’s jerky, and unacceptable to you, it matters not that a scan reveals nothing. Get informed on your rights, and push it back on the dealer. You might need a lawyer, but better a pet crocodile than a pup, eh?

I couldn’t resist. Your theme tune. more info please, folks keen to help.

Is it a Genuine Toyota - or even OEM gasket? Much as I appreciate my BMW, I’d not expect to find them above Toyota on *any* reliability ranking based on real data. I think, given your account of the delivery and his subsequent unavailability, you need to consider where your Bro raced it! ?

I can also vouch for the “drive a very long way without coolant”. My better half was driving with our then very young son. Afternoon coming back from supermarket, car making funny noise, smells funny. Son making loadsanoise (it’s afternoon, as babies will). Goes to service station, they add oil. Child is going nuts by this stage, so (with my blessing - who’s going to consign the mother of their child to wait for an hour for breakdown service with a 3-6 month old baby?) drive it the 10-15 mins home. I get home, have dinner, around 7.30 have time to check things out. Take it for a drive, it’s running okay... 8 mins in I’m thinking “hang on, no fluid for the temp gauge, so it’s not rising?” Just as it started rattling. I shut her down, called the AA. diagnosis: drain tap busted off the radiator, dumped it’s coolant. That Nissan 1400cc all-alloy multi-valve engine had done a minimum of 30 mins driving over three sessions. It was towed to a workshop. next day, checked over, filled with water (no rad), oil and filter changed; started okay. Radiator repaired, coolant replaced, oil and filter again. Ran it for five more years before we sold it, brilliant car!

Is your first post regarding a 2 door, or 4 door car?

Lock Cylinder Repair Well, that's been 'fun'. Today I tacked the lock cylinder repair. here's some fun pics, followed by a whole lot of reference pics and info. Make sure you get the right one for your car. And yes, it matters if you have central locking! In my case, drivers (right) door, a post 09/88 model with central locking, it was P/N 51219061344. I started with the new kit laid out. Here's the cylinder with all springs and tumblers in, ready for the key test.... hold your breath and: Voila! I found the barrel tumblers pretty easy, just be systematic and write everything down with a pen and paper, make a diagram. 5 tumblers on one side, 6 on the other. The bottom four (away from the key) are 'notched' if you have central locking. Grease (supplied) holds the springs and tumblers in place. From this point forward, some assembly is required. Won't bore you with that, it did just about drive me around the twist. I think I've got it right; tomorrow will tell. Interesting to see what broke on the old one. The part that holds the roller bearing in part revision 002 (original had a ball bearing) broke off: Now the reference material. Translation of the instruction sheet: MONTAGELEITUNG Vor dem zussammenbau Zuhaltungskanäle des Schleißzylinders mit beiligendem Fett füllen. Zuhaltung mit Zuhaltungsfedern entsprechend Codeliste oder vorliegendem schlüssel in den Zylinder einlegen. Schleißzylinder lt.Zeichnung zussammenbauen. HINWEIS Um die Montage zu erleichtern, Rolle einfetten und in N-Mitnehmer eisetzen. N-Mitnehmer in den Führungsring einführen. Aussparung in dem Zylinder beachten. Sannstift mit leichten Hammerschlägen einführen. Totpunktfeder einsetzen und spannen. becomes: ASSEMBLY LINE Before assembling, fill the tumbler tumbler channels with the enclosed grease. Insert guard locking with tumbler springs into the cylinder according to the code list or the present key. Assemble the wear cylinder according to the drawing. NOTE To facilitate installation, grease the roller and set in N-driver. Insert the N-driver into the guide ring. Note the recess in the cylinder. Insert pin with light hammer blows. Insert dead center spring and tension. Best Video I found on YouTube: EDIT: and also https://www.e30zone.net/e30wiki/index.php?title=Door_Lock_Repairs And now a bunch of reference pics for the one that came out, prior to disassembly:

great score, a 325Ti. nice one! Looking forward to reading of your audio exploits.

Hi Richard, and welcome. Recommended for all BMWs: a Pre-Purchase Inspection (PPI) from a BMW Specialist or BMW Dealer. The standard offerings from AA or VTNZ etc just don't cut it, they don't know what to look for with these vehicles. As to the changes, I think the biggest one was 6speed trans from 5 speed... and the 'n' series motors over the early M54-powered units. here's some links that should be fun, though you'll need to consider they're from differing markets. Hope that helps. https://www.carsales.com.au/editorial/details/bmw-x3-e83-update-2518/ https://xoutpost.com/bmw-sav-forums/x3-e83-forum/27007-changes-face-lift-x3-pre-sep-2006-a.html

@eliongater Bronzit e28 525! for parts!

Busy few days. She's now in for the rear subframe bushings, trailing arm bushings, rear ARB install. Here's a rather unflattering image of her up on the rack at Auto38 with her arse-end out, @qube e30 on the rack. sounds positively medieval (above) ARB Prep My previous paintjob on the rear ARB hadn't held up so well. I guess lack of patience in the prep may have had something to do with it; the Rustoleum all-in-one wasn't sticking everywhere. Ahead of Monday's install work, I stripped it back yesterday afternoon with the flap disk on grinder, and sanded with random orbital (both 120 grit). I used a tack-rag (with turps), then gave it a coat of etch primer and waited an hour, before two coats of Rustoluem 50 mins apart (re-coat within 1 hour, or after 48hrs). I touched up the other end of the rear ARB this morning with Rustoleum (above) I also stripped back 20mm front ARB to bare metal with the flap disk, and gave it a coat of rust converter. There's a little minor pitting around the rubber bushing mounts, so I was being cautious. CRC aren't very clear on how long one should wait before painting; I found 'leave overnight' in one of their videos. So I did just that. This morning it's all about "waiting for paint to dry"; I've etch-primed the front bar, ahead of painting it with Rustoleum. an ARB, in etch, this morning (above) And here's the usual suspects... (below) This arvo I will be rebuilding the door lock (lock cylinder repair kit). Woohoo!

Over the past few days I've: charged the battery on my CTEK MXS5.0 charger with the 'recondition' cycle swept the leaves off it, moved it across the road, and washed it Charged the battery again Called the AA, full diagnosis (Alternator, Starter good, no drain issues), revealed battery borked. Had the battery replaced under warranty at 27 months old, thanks AA Battery Service! Replaced right front corner indicator - some a-hole had given the car a parking nudge and broken it, no note left, no apology. Put air in tyres, took it for an hour's drive to get the light dusting of surface rust off the rotors took it for a WoF - it flew through. 6mm of tread on the tyres all round - Directionals on the rear axle, Asymetrics on the front. Then I stopped off at Jon's workshop, and she didn't start when I went to leave! She's turning over super-fast with the new batty, too. Jon listened to the injectors, heard the pintle click once. I did a quick bit of research, found the FI relay and removed it. We inspected the internals, looks pristine. Then she started. I'm ordering a new FI relay to install before she goes for sale. I'd previously replaced crank sensor, cam position sensor, leads, plugs, coil, rotor, cap, IACV... all the things that can cause trouble with the Volvo 850. Watch this space, she'll be up for sale soon. Many thanks to @Jon for helping diagnose!

Got some details please, Andrew? Would this unit be suitable for my '04 545i? TIA.

indeed, very pleased to hear you're okay, Hans. Great to see your e38 project moving forward again.

Welcome, Mathew. Nice ride! Good idea re the rod bearings as preventative maintenance. Be worth your while subscribing to the Auckland room - there's plenty of events on, regular cars and coffee meets etc.

if that's the case, I wonder if there's an equivalent device - same package - with higher voltage rating to replace them with?

I've a Beisan M54B25 VANOS kit [Double Vanos Seals Repair Kit (6-cyl) Item# BS001], in my parts stash, Rob. If you can canibalise that to meet your needs, and replace parts later, happy to help.

Mick's Garage does flat-rate shipping via DHL. It's quick and efficient.